Viola Davis didn't expect Emmy speech reaction

Viola Davis didn't expect her Emmy speech to be so well received.

The 'How to Get Away with Murder' star - who became the first black actress to win Best Actress in a Drama Series last week - gave an impassioned speech celebrating the recent successes of African-American actresses in TV that was lauded by viewers.

However, Viola admits she wasn't sure how the speech was being received by the audience.

She told PEOPLE.com: "I didn't know how it was landing. I was up there talking. My husband was like, 'I didn't know where you were going with that thing.'

"I think the most surprising thing is the impact it's made on people's lives. That it wasn't just, 'Oh, you made a really good speech.' It really is, it meant a lot in people's lives and kind of transforming them and shifting them just a little bit."

In her speech Viola, 50, praised the likes of her fellow nominee Taraji P. Henson and 'Scandal' star Kerry Washington.